


You Have To Stop Some Time

by MythsAndMythos



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Banter, Blow Jobs, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, M/M, misuse of magic, not so innocent Merlin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-29 22:10:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11450073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MythsAndMythos/pseuds/MythsAndMythos
Summary: Merlin had watched the stress mount in his prince throughout the day and he was careful not to add to the problem, but he does know that the prince needs to relax before he works himself to death.





	You Have To Stop Some Time

Merlin stumbled backwards through the heavy wooden door that led to Arthur’s chambers with a platter of food balanced in one hand and a pitcher of water in the other. He did his best not to spill either as he made his way through the room, which proved difficult as he had to dodge various papers littering the floor. 

The table in the center of the room was covered in documents that Arthur was pouring over in an attempt to make sense of the various battle plans and reports heaped on him. The reports were drawn up by advisors and detailed the motivations behind the hostility between Camelot and her neighboring cities. Merlin had watched the stress mount in his prince throughout the day and he was careful not to add to the problem. 

While the manservant sometimes tried to be insolent in his interactions with the prince, he did actively try to be helpful when he knew it was needed. 

Merlin set the platter down gently next to Arthur on the part of the table with the fewest papers. With his now free hand he shuffled a few pages to the side so he could also deposit a goblet and fill it with water, carefully keeping any drops from spilling and marring the reports. 

Arthur gave a noncommittal hum of acknowledgment but made no motion to eat or drink. His eyes remained glued to the pages in front of him while his hair was tussled from where he had run his hands through in frustration at different points in the day.

With a chipper tone Merlin broke the silence that had descended upon the room hours ago at Arthur’s command for Merlin to go to Gaius and leave him to his business. 

“Sire,” Merlin started, hoping the moniker would get the prince’s attention. “You haven’t had anything to eat since breakfast, maybe you should take a break. Those reports won’t change in the time it takes you to eat.”

“Thank you for your input Merlin,” Arthur drawled distractedly as he continued to scan the papers in his hand. “But your opinion won’t be necessary. You can leave the food and get back to doing whatever it is you do when you’re not with me.”

Merlin huffed, grin slipping into more of a grimace. While he technically was supposed to do whatever Arthur said, being his manservant and all, Merlin always saw that as more of a guideline. His real job was to take care of the prat, no matter how prattish he was being.

“Come now Arthur,” Merlin stabbed a piece of chicken on a fork and brought it to Arthur’s mouth. “Just a bite.”

It could have been the desire to avoid an argument and save mental capacity for the plans in front of him, or just that Arthur hadn’t eaten in hours and the food smelled delicious, but Merlin was shocked when Arthur calmly ate the chicken offered without griping or pushing him away. 

Merlin only remained frozen for a moment before jumping into action. He slowly fed the man next to him, spearing pieces of chicken and vegetables and offering them silently, while Arthur continued to work. When he was out of food, Merlin raised the cup to Arthur’s lips and let him drink deeply, pleased with his ability to get the prince to at least take care of himself. 

Ever since Uther had taken ill, Arthur had thrown himself into understanding and maintaining the inner workings of Camelot. Merlin watched as the clotpole of a prince he had served for years became someone he knew would be a great king. 

But he wouldn’t get a chance to rule if he worked himself to death before he got there.

“Come on Arthur,” Merlin spoke soothingly, gently tugging at the papers in the other’s grasp. “You’ve been working all day. It’s time for bed.”

Arthur easily pulled away from Merlin and scowled at him. “Clearly working all day wasn’t enough. I still have a lot to do before I sleep Merlin, you can see yourself out.”

“Such hostility.” Merlin clucked, trying to lighten Arthur’s cranky mood. As much as he wanted to joke about it, the time really had passed and it was well beyond the usual hour Arthur retired for the night. 

“I’m not the only thing that will be hostile around here if I don’t get these plans sorted.” 

“But you’re the only hostile one right now.”

An unamused look was the only response Merlin got for his joking and the manservant sighed in exasperation. Instead of continuing the fight, Merlin chose to begin cleaning up from dinner. He left Arthur to his work while he took the dishes to the kitchen, letting the prince think he was listening to orders, but he returned shortly. 

“Alright grumpy,” Merlin approached Arthur from behind and pulled his chair away from the table, forcing Arthur to either release his papers or risk spreading them across the floor. “It’s time for bed.”

Arthur growled but dropped the papers in a neat stack, quietly impressed with Merlin’s ability to drag the ornate chair with him in it a good distance from the table. 

“If I go to bed will you leave me free from your incessant hovering?” Arthur grumbled. 

Merlin pretended to ponder the question before offering his answer. “If you rest now I’ll let you do a few hours of work again tomorrow, but not an all-day marathon like today.”

Arthur sighed but stood, accepting that Merlin wasn’t going to leave until he was changed and settled into his bed. 

Taking this to be a sign of acceptance, Merlin moved with muscle memory to prepare the prince for the night. He dragged Arthur’s tunic up and over his head and went to hang it neatly in the wardrobe for future use. Arthur hadn’t done more than sit in silence for the day, and the tunic would be good enough to wear the next day. 

While he was working, Merlin chattered about his day. He told Arthur about the errands Gaius had him run, about how he was sent out to pick herbs and purchase various items from the markets in the lower end of Camelot. He talked about the citizens he brought medicine to and how he bumped into the knights on their way to the tavern after practice, Gwaine in the lead as always. 

Arthur scoffed. “Of course I spend the day planning ways to keep them alive and Gwaine is determined to leave them all drunk in the gutter.”

This shocked Merlin for a moment, causing him to pause in the motion of putting the tunic away. He really didn’t think Arthur was paying any attention to his ramblings. He had assumed that the prince’s silence meant he was still mulling over the various plans he had been making throughout the day. 

“Yes well,” Merlin tried to stick up for the merry knights. “They have such faith in you, they know you’ll lead them to victory.”

“Oh come off it Merlin.” Arthur batted him away as he returned from the dresser. “They’ll do what I say because I order them to, faith has nothing to do with it.”

“And loyalty, trust, do those not play a part?” Merlin shot back, determined to make Arthur see how well-liked he was by the knights. 

While he would never say it to the prince, the knights were far more willing to follow Arthur’s orders than his father’s. There was no comradery, no full-hearted belief, between them and the king. The knights all knew Arthur and fought with him. They’d seen him in battle, used his strategies, and they would follow him to the farthest enemy lands and back. 

“They’re just doing their duty.” Arthur moved towards the table again but Merlin stopped him, refusing to let him be drawn back into work.

“Someone’s grumpy today.”

“You try organizing an attack and defense strategy on three fronts with undetermined army sizes and see how you feel.” Arthur shot back and paused. “On second thought, don’t strain yourself Merlin. I may need you yet.”

“That’s funny, really.” Merlin forced a smile on his face as he slid between Arthur and the table, casually herding him towards the basin of water kept next to his bed for washing up. “I’ll be sure to keep my thoughts simply on how best to get rid of that giant pole up your arse.”

“Merlin.” Arthur’s voice held a warning that Merlin chose to ignore.

“No no, I’ve heard of this. Too much stress builds up and then you’re a right prat for a week.” Merlin continued, holding up a towel and glancing meaningfully at the basin until Arthur leant down to wash. “There are more than enough willing bodies out there. I’m sure I could find you the best in Camelot to relieve your stress.”

Splashing and spluttering met this comment and Arthur spun to face his manservant, who only offered him an innocent expression. For a few beats Arthur just stood, dripping water and gaping in shock, until Merlin calmly raised the towel to dry his blushing face. 

When Arthur finally regained his voice it held a scandalized tone. “Why would you – where have you been going Merlin? What sort of – sort of trouble have you been getting yourself into?”

“Oh nowhere and nothing, but a servant hears things.” Was the only response he gave to the anxious prince. 

A deep breath later and Arthur was back under control. “Well, thank you for the offer but I don’t need any strange young men warming my bed. I’ll work through this stress and be back to ordering you around before you know it.”

“Interesting,” Merlin hummed, hand stroking his face in a mockery of thought. “I never said specifically it had to be a man, but I suppose that is one option.”

The red which had only just faded from Arthur’s cheeks was back and stronger than ever. He stuttered excuses until Merlin took pity on him and pat his shoulder. 

“Don’t worry, I’m really not one to judge.” Arthur looked incredulously at him until he felt compelled to elaborate, if only to give the prince some peace of mind. “You don’t think I’m that innocent do you? There are plenty of stable boys about and the knights always have some steam to work off.”

“My knights?” Arthur’s voice pitched higher than Merlin had ever heard it, and he could only keep a straight face for so long.

He burst into laughter and fell onto Arthur, leaning on him for support even as he felt the rigid stiffness of his body which demanded answers. 

“I’m sorry, but you should have seen your face.” Merlin wiped a tear from his eye and stayed leaning on the other man. “No not your knights, they’ve got some weird system worked out between themselves that I don’t want to intrude on. But the stable boys are definitely in abundance.”

Arthur’s face looked like he was torn between a confused intrigue on the inner workings of his knight’s guild and displeasure that Merlin was so intimately familiar with the stable boys. In the end, he settled on a constipated look and tried to shake Merlin off. 

The only real physical skill Merlin could claim was that he could cling to things that were trying to dislodge him, and he stuck on Arthur no matter how he twisted to escape his grip.

“Come now Arthur,” Merlin said in cheer. “I had to do something. It’s not like you were going to offer yourself up to me.”

His words settled into a silence between them and Merlin replayed what he’d said in his mind. Before he could begin to backpedal, Arthur murmured something that could have been taken as ‘I never knew you’d say yes’. It also could have been a noise of discomfort or some entirely unrelated comment in a hasty attempt to change the subject, but Merlin took it as the first one. 

Merlin’s grip tightened on Arthur’s shoulder and he looked at the prince, who was currently gazing at the floor with an intensity that begged for it to swallow him whole so he could escape the conversation. 

“I would always say yes to you.” Merlin whispered, wary of breaking whatever tentative peace had settled between them. 

Arthur inhaled sharply and Merlin considered his options briefly before sinking to the floor.

Merlin knelt at Arthur’s feet, wide eyes looking up and filled with a determined light. His typical gangly limbs were now folded gracefully beneath him as he gazed up with an almost reverent quality. 

“Merlin, what are– what are you doing?” Arthur stuttered, moving back until he could feel the stone of the wall press into his bare skin. He focused on his breathing, which was easily throw off balance by the creeping quality of Merlin’s hands as they slowly slid up his legs from calf to thigh. 

“Please Arthur, let me do this.” Merlin whispered. “For you. I don’t show you nearly enough respect during my duties as your manservant, but I am more than willing to bow to you here and now.”

Hesitation was clearly written across Arthur’s face, but Merlin could detect a gleam of something else in his eyes. Something wanting. 

Merlin slowly but assuredly let his fingers dance along the edge of Arthur’s trousers. He gently brushed against the naked skin of Arthur’s stomach, feeling the involuntary tensing of muscles as he teased his way towards his goal. 

The prince nearly choked as Merlin palmed him through his pants. Arthur blindly fisted his hand into Merlin’s hair which caused Merlin to whine at the pinpricks of pain that spread across his scalp at the sudden, but not unwelcome, tug. Merlin allowed himself to be drawn in closer to Arthur’s body, despite the prince’s seeming subconscious decision to do so.

He nuzzled against the rapidly growing bulge in Arthur’s pants, taking in the heady scent that always hung around the man. Merlin gripped Arthur’s clothed thighs and felt the muscles that he dressed every morning, and undressed every night clench in anticipation.

“Well,” Merlin peered up at the flustered prince. “What do you say?”

Arthur, beyond coherent thought, made a noise Merlin interpreted as confusion.

Merlin smiled at his ability to disconnect Arthur from his brain, which meant that he had successfully pushed the stress of war with the neighboring kingdoms from the man’s mind. “You’ve been so stressed lately, will you let me take care of you?” 

He held his breath, hoping he hadn’t read the situation wrong and that Arthur wasn’t about to throw him out and banish him from Camelot for how forward he was. Banishment for sorcery he could accept, but he would hope he had better will power and common sense than to be banished for giving into his desires. 

Merlin didn’t have to wait long to hear the rumbling answer above his head that was Arthur murmuring ‘yes’. Merlin grinned and gripped his prince’s hips, which in turn triggered the hand in his hair to spasm and clutch him tighter while pulling him closer. 

The only sound in the room was the panting breaths that tore their way out of Arthur’s throat as he attempted to hold himself together. Secure in the fact that he had locked the door when he returned from the kitchen in anticipation of an argument, Merlin slowly worked his fingers into the top of Arthur’s pants. He took his time untying and pulling the breeches down Arthur’s legs before letting him kick them off and away.

With a steadying breath, Merlin wrapped his hand around Arthur’s eager cock. 

Arthur responded by dropping his head back against the wall and letting out a groan that warmed Merlin and stirred his own arousal. The hand still in his hair tightened while Arthur used the other to scrabble against the wall for purchase on the stones. 

Taking this as a positive reaction, Merlin continued. 

The brunette pressed feather light kisses to either hip bone before moving to lick a long stripe up Arthur’s shaft. The moan the action elicited from Arthur met every daydream and fantasy Merlin had constructed and shattered them.

Without taking the time to overthink his actions, Merlin licked the head of Arthur’s cock before wrapping his lips around as much as he could. Arthur’s hips involuntarily twitched forward to push further in but Merlin had to draw away before he gagged. 

He used his hand to slowly pump Arthur’s erection and watched to make sure that the prince was sufficiently distracted. When he was sure that Arthur was too far gone to notice, Merlin whispered a spell he had only learned in the rare chance he found himself in this exact situation.

The golden glow in his eyes only lasted for a second before he was able to open his throat and take Arthur’s entire length into his mouth. With his gag reflex effectively banished for the night, Merlin reached up to meet the hand Arthur still had burrowed in his hair. Arthur made to let go but Merlin held on tighter and tried to convey what he wanted without words. 

The prince picked up the silent message quickly and only hesitated for a moment before his other hand was releasing its grip on the wall to join the one fisted in Merlin’s hair. 

With full control over Merlin’s head, Arthur began the process of fucking Merlin’s mouth. He started with a slow roll of his hips but quickly abandoned that for a faster movement, pushing in and out of Merlin’s throat and enjoying the tight heat he provided. 

Arthur used his grip to control the speed with which he plunged into the wet cavern that was Merlin’s mouth. He pushed and pulled at the kneeling man’s head, meeting no resistance from him as he was used for Arthur’s pleasure. 

The grunts and moans coming from above his head paired with the ability to relax in order to let Arthur take what he wanted had Merlin humming in foggy pleasure. The vibrations passed on to Arthur’s dick and the prince’s rhythm stuttered for a moment at the change before picking up at an even fiercer pace. 

It wasn’t long before Arthur’s motions became more erratic and deeper. Arthur tapped the side of his head but Merlin refused to move back, instead taking Arthur to the hilt and swallowing roughly.

Arthur cried out as he spilled into Merlin’s mouth and down his throat. Merlin made sure to catalogue the noises Arthur made in the throes of orgasm for his personal reflection, they would certainly be useful when getting himself off later. 

Merlin swallowed everything and stared up at Arthur as he licked his lips. 

The prince had returned to leaning heavily on the wall and appeared to be almost in a state of shock. His glassy eyes were staring at a distant point on the ceiling and Merlin was certain his efforts to force Arthur into relaxing and forgetting the impending battle had worked. 

Merlin was just starting to rise when Arthur’s eyes snapped back to meet his gaze. His eyes had regained their sharp quality and he watched as Merlin lifted his body from the floor, taking in his disheveled hair and bright eyes before coming to rest on his swollen lips. 

Before Merlin could say anything that might ruin the moment, Arthur shot a hand forward to grab the front of Merlin’s tunic, dragging the manservant to where he was leaning on the wall and effectively stopping the use of his mouth. 

Merlin gasped in surprise and was met with Arthur’s tongue pushing past his lips to map his mouth. 

They stayed entwined together, Merlin’s arms trapped between their chests while Arthur held him securely with an arm around his waist and a hand at his neck. Arthur took his time plundering his willing manservant’s mouth and tasting the mixture of himself and something that was pure Merlin on his tongue. 

Aroused from pleasing Arthur and burning with the kiss, Merlin found himself rutting helplessly against the thigh Arthur had wedged between his own legs. He squeaked and moaned softly into Arthur’s mouth until the other took notice of Merlin’s predicament. 

Without a second to breathe Merlin was pushed away from Arthur only to tumble backwards and hit the soft furnishings of the prince’s bed. Merlin bounced twice before coming to rest on the soft mattress. His legs were splayed open and he propped himself up on his elbows so he could see Arthur approaching. 

Again he opened his mouth to address the prince but he was silenced by the breathless ‘Merlin’ that came from Arthur as he stalked forward. The wild look in the prince’s eyes was trained on Merlin’s crotch and Merlin gulped with a thrill of anticipation regarding what the prince had in mind. 

Merlin quickly scrambled backwards so his entire body was on the bed and when Arthur reached him, the prince made quick work of stripping every stitch of clothing off to the floor. 

With that goal achieved, Arthur straddled Merlin’s bare thighs. He leaned forward on one hand planted directly on Merlin’s chest, where Merlin was sure Arthur could feel his fluttering heartbeat and frantic breathing. 

From this position Arthur was able to press their foreheads together before meeting Merlin’s mouth once again. Merlin arched into the kiss, pressing their naked chests together and losing himself in the bliss of kissing his prince. 

When Arthur took his cock in hand, Merlin had to use every faculty in his power to keep his magic contained. He squeezed his eyes closed both from pleasure and to keep any stray glow out of sight. 

Merlin reached one hand up to grab Arthur’s arm while the other clutched desperately at the sheets beneath him. 

Arthur began with a slow motion, stroking just lightly enough to tease and slowly enough to make him beg. 

“More, Arthur, faster.” Merlin panted from where he was writhing beneath the blonde.

If anything Arthur seemed to slow down at his request, drawing a high keening noise from deep within Merlin’s chest. Merlin would have loosened his grip on Arthur’s arm if he could, but he settled for the bruising grip he was sure would leave a mark in the morning. 

“What was that?” Arthur asked with a semblance of calm, although the frayed edges of his arousal were inching into his voice. “I couldn’t quite hear you. You’ll have to speak up if you want something Merlin.”

Merlin’s hand which he had twisted in the bedding came free and grabbed the hand Arthur was using to support himself. Merlin dragged Arthur’s hand from his chest to his head and pushed it back into his hair, making a grunt of agreement when Arthur twisted his fingers into the brown strands. 

“I said,” Merlin bit out. “Faster… and harder.”

Merlin could tell that this was the part in the conversation when Arthur normally would have dragged out even longer and maybe even pulled a ‘please’ out of him before acquiescing. But it was neither the time nor place for that. 

The hand in his hair twisted and Merlin’s head was pulled back with just the right amount of force to make him feel it. The hand on his dick picked up speed and Merlin cried out at the delicious friction. 

Arthur continued his movements, keeping Merlin on the brink of release without letting him finish. When Merlin found enough power to open his eyes and look at his prince, he was amazed that the usual look of stress or annoyance had been wiped from Arthur’s eyes and was replaced with a wonderment that Merlin had never seen him aim at anyone. 

Merlin’s weeping red cock was clutched in Arthur’s pale grasp and it only took a few more twists of the wrist to have him coming in stripes that painted his chest and thighs with creamy white. 

Merlin dragged in deep gasps of air while he came down from the high Arthur had taken him to, distantly aware that the light groans he heard were coming from him. He felt Arthur’s hand slowly disentangle from its place on his head and Arthur’s weight start shifting on his lap. 

The manservant figured that this would be when his services were thanked and he was sent on his way, maybe with a pat on the head from Arthur if he was lucky or banishment if the prince was too embarrassed to ever see him again. 

Instead, he felt the damp towel that he had given to Arthur earlier drag across his body. He watched sleepily as Arthur wiped the mess up from both of their bodies before throwing the towel somewhere on the floor to join their clothes. 

With that settled, Arthur grabbed a blanket from the foot of his bed and spread it over the both of them. Merlin rolled onto his side a fair distance from the prince until a warm arm wound itself around his waist and pulled him flush against Arthur’s sated body. 

They lay in silence for a moment, long enough for Merlin to begin drifting off, until Arthur’s voice brought him back to reality.

“I have to hand it to you Merlin,” Arthur said with less of a drawl and more warmth than he usually put into his name. “That sure took my mind off work.”

Merlin cleared his throat, thrown off by the inability to see the other’s face while they bantered. “Well, I’m bound to have a good idea every once in a while.”

Arthur hummed behind him and nuzzled into the back of his neck, sending a shiver down Merlin’s spine. “Yes well, this particular idea might have to be instated as a regular occurrence. That is, if you find it agreeable.”

Merlin’s voice was trapped inside himself as he struggled with a way to say ‘that is the answer to all of my dreams’ without sounding quite so needy or giving Arthur more boasting power. 

“I’d be happy to help anytime you need a little stress relief.” Merlin eventually settled on. Hoping Arthur would take it without pushing farther.

“I’m glad to hear it,” the prince murmured against his skin. “But I think this means you need to stop hanging around the stables. After all, I don’t share what’s mine.”

Merlin rolled around in Arthur’s grasp so he could face the man. Arthur’s eyes were light and the soft grin on his face warmed Merlin. 

He smiled in response. “No, I think you’re the only one for me.”

Merlin leant up to lightly kiss Arthur before settling down with his head against Arthur’s chest where he let the heartbeat of his prince lull him to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to chat you can find me at mythsandmythos.tumblr.com


End file.
